Chemical Processing

Phoenix Contact and Flowserve join Endress+Hauser’s Open Integration Partner Program, which strives to mitigate risks when commissioning customer plant by ensuring that operators can easily integrate their devices and components into automation systems, according to the company. Phoenix Contact and Flowserve join eight companies already in the program: AUMA Riester, HIMA Paul Hildebrandt, Honeywell Process Solutions, Mitsubishi Electric, Pepperl+Fuchs, Rockwell Automation, R. STAHL and Schneider Electric.
Although today’s communication components (HART, PROFIBUS, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, EtherNet/IP or PROFINET) are rigorously tested, there are still countless ways in which they can be combined and there is a residual risk that minor…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

Understand what achieving an effective predictive maintenance program entails

Processors have relied on gas chromatographs (GCs) since the 1950s to provide real-time compositional data to control systems. Today, tens of thousands of GCs serve in a diverse range of plants — making the GC the analytical workhorse for online…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

Mettler Toledo offers SmartCal, a test substance offering a fast way to verify the performance of a moisture analyzer, according to the company. Using SmartCal, performance testing reportedly takes 10 minutes and it is done in the same easy way as a regular moisture measurement.
Additionally, as an overall functionality assessment, SmartCal simultaneously tests both the heating and weighing units, according to Mettler Toledo. When results lie within expected tolerances, it lends validity to all measurements made since the previous test. These results are viewed in a series of clear, readable measurement reports for straightforward monitoring. They can either be stored directly in the instrument or manually entered into a free, validated…

After a three-year software evaluation period, BP reportedly selects aeSolutions’ aeShield to assist asset personnel in monitoring control, alarm and safety instrumented systems (CASIS) performance for all upstream oil and gas assets. To date, it has been a challenge to automate the monitoring of these devices due to the lack of common systems in place across BP’s facilities, according to aeSolutions.
aeShield allows centralized reporting, standard enforcement consistent with internal procedures, reduced man-hours, monitored IPLs and efficient management of change (MOC) tracking, according to the company. During initial rollout, BP will reportedly focus on HAZOP/LOPA studies, safety requirements specification, SIL verification and IPL…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

A new nonmetallic catalyst promises to enable economical hydrogen-based substitution reactions that now require expensive or hazardous synthesis routes.

A new nonmetallic catalyst promises to enable economical hydrogen-based substitution reactions that now require expensive or hazardous synthesis routes, e.g., making hydrosilanes from chlorosilanes as well as hydrides from halides, believe researchers at Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany. The borane catalyst splits hydrogen molecules under mild conditions and should suit broad-scale use, they say.
The researchers created the catalyst by introducing boron atoms into a common organic molecule (Figure 1). The catalyst provides ambiphilic metal-like reactivity toward H2; tests so far indicate yields are comparable to conventional metallic catalysts.
“What we additionally need is just an electron source. In the laboratory we chose…

A carbon-based molecular sieve membrane combined with a reverse osmosis process could significantly reduce energy needed to separate alkyl aromatics hydrocarbon molecules, says a research team from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech),…

Conco Systems, Pty Ltd. of Heatherbrae, Australia, an affiliate of Conco Services Corporation in Verona, PA, USA, acquires Gogolok IndustrieService GmbH (GIS) of Magdeburg, Germany. GIS specializes in industrial cleaning of plate heat exchangers, air cooled condensers and general maintenance cleaning services. The incorporation of GIS infrastructure, human resources and service capabilities into the Conco family will support Conco’s growth in the European market and an expansion of the global service portfolio, according to the company.
Conco Systems Pty Ltd. is the Australian contingent of a worldwide group of Conco companies providing condenser and heat exchanger products and services to the power generation and industrial sectors.

The U.S. Department of Energy announces nearly $25 million to enable innovative electrical motors used in manufacturing.

The U.S. Department of Energy announces nearly $25 million for 13 projects aimed at advancing energy-efficient electric motor technologies through applied research and development. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Next Generation Electric Machines projects will address the limitations of traditional materials and designs used in electric motor components by cost-effectively enhancing their efficiency, improving their performance and reducing weight. This effort will support approaches to improve the technology in industrial electric motors, which use approximately 70% of the electricity consumed by U.S. manufacturers and nearly a quarter of all electricity consumed nationally, according to EERE.
Improvements…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

Advisory firm International eChem says that warning signs from the chemical industry point to a global recession in 2017, according to an article from Investment Week. The global chemical capacity utilization percentage (CU%), a measure which the firm says correlates closely to global GDP, reportedly dropped to its lowest level since 2009 this year, which the firm warns is an indicator of global economic slowdown.
The CU% has reportedly been in a steady decline for the last year, according to the firm’s chairman Paul Hodges. In the article, Hodges also warns of increased currency volatility due to protectionism-driven trade wars.
Read more about the firm's predictions here.

Transferring expertise and knowledge of experienced staff to engineers beginning their careers is hardly a new issue for chemicals makers. However, the ongoing wave of retiring baby boomers (see: “Retirement Casts a Long Shadow”) is prompting…

Siemens Water Solutions will use Meidensha Corporation’s ceramic flat-sheet membrane in its new PACT Membrane Bioreactor for wastewater treatment.

Siemens Water Solutions will reportedly use Meidensha Corporation’s ceramic flat-sheet membrane in its new PACT Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) for wastewater treatment in the oil refinery and petrochemical industries, and other wastewater treatment environments. Siemens PACT technology has reportedly been installed at more than 100 locations.
Siemens’ PACT MBR is a powdered activated carbon-based wastewater treatment system that provides biological/physio-chemical/and ultrafiltration technology in a single, compact system, according to Meidensha. After extensive testing, Siemens approved Meidensha’s ceramic flat-sheet membrane for use in its PACT MBR system because of the membrane’s durability, abrasion resistance and long service life…

Debate continues over the merits of putting a price on carbon emissions — with many businesses opposing such a move. However, an increasing number of companies are adopting carbon pricing, according to a report released in September by CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), London, a not-for-profit organization backed by institutional investors and others. The publication notes that carbon pricing already has spurred some firms to reallocate investments.
Called “Embedding a Carbon Price into Business Strategy,” the report summarizes the disclosures of companies around the world that responded to CDP’s 2016 climate-change and supply-chain information requests. A total of 1,249 firms revealed that they already price carbon…

With the aim to reduce toxic exposure, agency fast tracks the evaluation of five chemicals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is continuing its brisk pace to be on target with implementing the new requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century…

Manufacturers must evaluate where to focus efforts to protect sensitive data.

Cybercriminals love chemical companies. In fact, IBM X-Force Research’s 2016 Cyber Security Intelligence Index cites chemical companies as one of the top targets for attackers, according to an article from Manufacturing Business Technology. The attacks are reportedly often financially-motivated and state-sponsored attempts to steal intellectual property and trade secrets.
So what can manufacturers do? The article’s author lays out a list of prevention methods beginning with a vulnerability management plan and ongoing vulnerability scans. According to the article, manufacturers should also promote company-wide security awareness, prepare an incident response plan, harden the security configurations of systems and servers and evaluate…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

Locate suppliers in the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.

The year in review recalls some of the most important events of 2016, and the 2017 Supplier Sourcing Guide Directory is a look forward – a tool we hope helps you throughout the new year.
The 2017 Supplier Source Guide is an easy-to-use guide to help locate suppliers to the chemical, petrochemical and refining industries.
The guide is broken out into five primary categories:1. Asset Management2. Automation3. Environmental Protection4. Processing Equipment5. Safety/Security.
Each of these main categories includes several product sub-categories listed within them.
This easy-to-use directory lists suppliers in 43 categories of equipment, products, services and software. We also have a special section focusing on 72 engineering, construction…

If you use desiccant air dryers in your plant, you probably know they can consume a lot of energy dollars. Much of this money often is wasted. However, you likely can take a number of steps to reduce your desiccant dryer costs and improve the dryer operation, leading to better air quality. Here, we’ll look at five factors worth attention: specifications check, dryer control, desiccant protection, adjustments and maintenance.
First let’s consider operating costs, though. Compressed air is one of the most expensive utilities to use in doing anything in your plant. This is because of the poor “wire to work” conversion efficiency of the compression process. Only ≈10–15% of the energy put into a compressor actually converts to…

The U.S. Department of Energy announces nearly $25 million to enable innovative electrical motors used in manufacturing.

The U.S. Department of Energy announces nearly $25 million for 13 projects aimed at advancing energy-efficient electric motor technologies through applied research and development. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Next Generation Electric Machines projects will address the limitations of traditional materials and designs used in electric motor components by cost-effectively enhancing their efficiency, improving their performance and reducing weight. This effort will support approaches to improve the technology in industrial electric motors, which use approximately 70% of the electricity consumed by U.S. manufacturers and nearly a quarter of all electricity consumed nationally, according to EERE.
Improvements…

The new website is designed to be more visually appealing and user friendly.

Paratherm – Heat Transfer Fluids introduces a newly redesigned website. The new website is designed to be more visually appealing and user friendly, according to the company. The new Paratherm website reportedly performs many of the same duties as Paratherm employees in assisting hot oil system users and others interested in indirect heating technology.
The website is aimed at fluid customers, OEM design engineers, process managers, fluid specifiers and maintenance professionals. It provides technical details of Paratherm heat transfer fluid products, including product data, safety data and physical and thermal properties. The website also offers technical advice regarding hot-oil system safety, maintenance and reliability and detailed…

Water availability is a growing concern, prompting important initiatives by chemical companies, as our recent cover story “Keep Calm and Save Water,” underscores. Of course, the issue has much broader implications — and this has led to the…

Focusing on an implementation’s true consequences can lead to more cost-effective results

Undertaking an energy assessment can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be if the energy expert can understand and follow an “impact analysis.” So, this column will cover this methodology and cite a few examples of how to undertake an impact analysis while doing energy assessments.
Published ASME standards for energy assessments provide a good starting point and offer guidelines for conducting these assessments. Nevertheless, our resources — budgets, human resources, and time — are always limited. Hence, there’s a strong need to undertake energy assessments from an impact-level perspective and increase the cost-effectiveness of these efforts. We are still talking about a systems approach; I’m not suggesting cutting…

2010

A complete alarm philosophy document (APD) covers all elements, including design principles, KPIs and escalation policies. Creating an APD to outline these elements is the first step in a successful alarm management project. This paper provides an overview for the essential parts of a complete APD.

Over the past decade, cartridge-style dust collectors have overtaken baghouses as the preferred technology for dust collection in the chemical processing industry. Combining high efficiency filtration with compact size and reduced pressure drop, a high efficiency cartridge dust collector will in most cases be the system of choice.

Choosing the best cartridge collection system for a given application, however, involves research and attention to detail. This article will review four key areas of investigation. By reviewing these topics with a knowledgeable equipment supplier and knowing the right questions to ask, chemical manufacturing professionals will be better equipped to make informed dust collection decisions. Download this whitepaper now.

20-page Sight Glass Application Handbook is a convenient reference for experienced engineers and a great primer for those new to sight glass selection. It offers a full overview of sight glasses for chemical processes, including types of glass, construction, lighting, installation and maintenance.

For years chemicals makers have tracked the health of key equipment yet they still grapple with unplanned outages that can significantly impact financial performance through lost production and extra repair costs. In this Special Report, we'll explore underlying condition monitoring challenges and introduce the concept of condition management -- an enhanced approach that helps companies reap the full benefit from their condition monitoring investments; we'll also discuss how CMMS tools can help to provide a clear understanding of maintenance operations performance as well as provide some guidance on what you can expect from a CMMS vendor. Lastly, listen to the lively discussion between Chemical Processing's Senior Digital Editor,Traci Purdum, and Edgewater Fullscope's Senior Vice President, Russell Smith, as they converse on how ERP can help manage the supply chain.

Chemical manufacturers today are looking at all aspects of their business to conserve energy and decrease costs. Compressed air is often over looked in these efforts as many people do not fully understand compressed air equipment, their own system, or what it costs to produce compressed air power. In this Special Report, we review compressed air and provide insights on how to understand equipment and identify potential areas for savings.

One of the challenges that companies have faced in implementation of continuous monitoring systems is the lack of infrastructure for sensing and data collection. The devices to be monitored are widely dispersed throughout plants with large areas, have no existing power or signal transmitting wire infrastructure, so the capital costs associated with the power and communication services have historically prohibited continuous monitoring. This white paper will unearth best practices to prevent product loss, reduce emissions and ensure ROI.

This white paper takes an in-depth look at the advantages and disadvantages of steam and hot water for jacketed heating, and compares indirect and direct steam injection systems for making hot water.

Approximately one-third of the electric motors in the industrial and commercial sectors use belt drives. If the efficiency of these systems were improved by just 5%, plants would see tremendous energy savings. Such savings are not out of reach. Synchronous belt drives operate so efficiently that they enable savings across many industrial applications.

The pressure of international competition is being felt in the field of plant engineering with a demand for shorter development times and reduced project costs. A consistent and efficient approach to plant design can help to dramatically save both time and money. Download this white paper to learn more.

Supply Chain Planning and Forecasting coupled with a process ERP solution is the perfect fit to synch sales and marketing with manufacturing and supply chain operations. "Best Practices in Demand Planning" shows you how this integrated solution can reduce forecast errors, increase plant throughput, and reduce inventory levels.

The collection and testing of dust samples is a long-established practice used by many powder and bulk processors to make informed dust collection decisions. Dust testing protocols have not changed markedly in recent years. The importance of dust testing, however, has changed, and the implications are significant. While knowing your dust has always been good practice, it is rapidly becoming a necessity in today's regulatory climate.

This article will review two separate types of testing: (1) explosibility testing, which is used to determine whether a dust is combustible; and (2) bench testing, which pinpoints numerous physical properties of the dust. Both categories of tests are needed to determine the best dust collection system for your application and whether explosion venting equipment must be part of that system.

In this white paper, we review the new possibilities offered by measurement systems based on polarographic technology. Unlike other systems, polarographic sensors are built directly into the process gas stream, eliminating the need for cumbersome gas sampling and conditioning systems. Further, polarographic sensors require very little maintenance.

This white paper outlines how the chemicals industry's leading operators are successfully transforming their operations to achieve a competitive advantage for decades to come. Learn what chemicals operators are doing to: improve integration and collaboration with supply-chain partners both upstream and downstream; Establish business processes and use management systems to better identify and manage both customer demand and volatile supply channels; Innovate both new products and feedstock sources and, Upgrade operations and optimize processes with improvement methodologies such as Lean.

Gaseous oxygen measurement with amperometric sensors is the most direct and easiest solution for oxidation and explosion protection.

Unwelcome oxygen Tank blanketing is the process of filling the headspace in storage vessels and reactors with an inert gas to prevent its contents from exploding, degrading or polymerizing and to protect equipment from corrosion. A blanketing system is normally designed such that it operates under higher than atmospheric pressures, therefore preventing outside air from entering the vessel. As oxygen and moisture in the air can be undesired in numerous processes and applications, blanketing is done in a wide range of industries, varying from (petro)chemical to food and beverage, pharmaceutical to pure water.

In March 2008, OSHA reissued its Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP) notifying approximately 30,000 companies nationwide that they will be targeted for inspections over the next few years. Mettler Toledo recognizes that many manufacturers are not up-to-date on the latest hazardous area compliance regulations or may not know that their industry is subject to those regulations. Don't wait until your facility receives a surprise visit from OSHA or worse yet, for a catastrophic incident to occur. Take the proactive approach to addressing the "hazardous area advisory level" in your facility.

This 10-page document discusses how the reference from the Center for Chemical Process Safety -- "Inherently Safer Chemical Processes, A Life Cycle Approach," 1st Edition, 1996 -- was updated in 2007.
Inherent Safety has been well received by industry, but there has been significant advancement in the concept of inherently safer design over the last 10 years. This overview highlights lessons learned and best practices in inherent safety.

Over the past 10 years, manufacturers have faced an increasing number of compliance and product quality challenges, ranging from new regulations to product recalls. This White Paper details the business case for an integrated and comprehensive view of product and REACH compliance processes. If "done right," it is expected that these improvements to the compliance process can not only provide time and cost savings but also open doors to new markets, lower risks associated with complex supply chains, protect the reputation of the brand, and create a foundation for environmental sustainability.

Employ key "green" business technologies to reduce paper consumption, as well as comply with key regulations. Discover how Business Process Management and Document Management solutions can significantly slash material costs, while improving user productivity.

Positioned at the core of most supply chains, chemical firms must deal with many challenges to growing profitably -- flat demand, deflationary prices, and emerging competitors to name a few. Both chemicals firms large and small must develop the insight to change and win in today's ever-morphing competitive landscape. This white paper identifies and discusses how chemicals companies can combine data from many sources -- multiple ERP systems, multiple divisions and multiple applications -- maintenance, human capital, CRM, and supply chain to name just a few -- to create a complete or holistic view for critical decisions. Download now.